When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut, firefighter, ballerina or teacher? Or maybe a doctor or a farmer or a super hero?

We’re going to help you live out those childhood fantasies with a party organized by our friend Caroline.

On May 4, bring yourself down to the bar from 6:30-9 p.m. dressed up as what you wanted to be when you grew up. And you may have noticed that this shindig is on May 4….which means we also expect a few Luke Skywalkers and Han Solos to show up. (May the fourth be with you!)

Your ticket gets you access to door prizes, snacks, party games—and group karaoke. Because it’s the Sandbar, and that’s what we do. And, there’s prizes for the best costumes, as voted on by Facebook fans.

We hope you can join us, because after all: who doesn’t love costumes and supporting a good cause at the same time?!

Bullet points:Wednesday, May 46:30-9 p.m. The Sandbar$10 ticket cost, pay at the door or in online in advance

(I should add that Danny was a regular bartender for many, many years. Several years ago, he decided to go to nursing school and moved to Kansas City, so he was no longer in the regular rotation behind the bar, but he’s stayed on in a fill-in status. It’s amusing that almost every time he’s back behind the bar, the Sandbar’s Twitter account gets at least one mention from a young lady who wants to know who the hot new bartender is.)

I have been a pediatric oncology nurse in Kansas City for the past 3 years, and in that time I have been an active fundraiser for cancer research through various charities including CureSearch and the Children’s Mercy Cancer Center. This year, I have been nominated to participate in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Man and Woman of the Year” fundraising contest.

This year, along with the help of a team of great friends, I am aiming to raise at least $50,000 for blood cancer research, treatment, and education. In addition to online fundraising, we’ll also be hosting several fun events in the Kansas City area.

I consider it an utter privilege to get to care for these brave boys and girls as they face their battles with cancer. Their bravery and spirit fuels my passion and enthusiasm for fundraising in their honor. Being on the front lines of exciting new breakthrough treatments gives me a first-hand perspective of not only how far we’ve come in our battle to cure blood cancers, but also of how far we have yet to go in achieving lasting cures for our patients.

I invite you to have a look at my fundraising page for more information about my campaign and about the organization I am supporting! Please feel free to email me if you have any questions about why I am doing this or if you want to know how you can help!

All of us at the Sandbar encourage you to support Danny in his fundraising efforts any way you can! Donate your own cash, or if you’re not able to do spare any change, share this information on your own social networks and spread the word.

This year’s shopping bash benefits the Willow Domestic Violence Center, and the ladies of Lawrence (and beyond) are invited downtown to “shop in her shoes.”

How’s it work?

Buy a ticket for $20, or $10 with a student ID. You can buy tickets in advance online or at the Downtown Lawrence, Inc., office or the third floor of Weaver’s. Or, buy your tickets the night of the event at one of two tables: 9th and Mass or 7th and Mass. If you buy tickets in advance, you’ll need to check in at one of the tables the night of the event to get your shopping bag and program.

There’s a list of participating businesses on the DLI website. For the most part, shoppers will get 20% off their purchase in participating stores, with some exclusions.

Bars and restaurants get to enjoy the fun, too!

Sandbar is participating in the event again this year. Thursday night is already home to our best special of the week, Tropical Thursdays, where customers can buy a pint glass for $2.50 (or bring in a pint glass from a previous visit!) and get tropical drinks for $2.50 all night. Tropical drinks are regularly priced at $4.50, so this is a pretty good deal.

So, what does your Girls Night Downtown ticket get you on this particular night? Well, ticketholders will get a FREE pint glass (be sure to let the bartender know you’re a ticket holder; show your shopping bag or program) and enjoy $2.50 tropical drinks, along with our exclusive $1 “Red Shoes” shots.

And, every participating business is also donating a gift certificate and other prizes. Several lucky shoppers will win some awesome prize packages!

What are you waiting for?! Buy your tickets today, and get downtown on Oct. 16 to shop in our beautiful downtown for a great cause!

It’s December! This month is one of our favorites (let’s be honest, we love almost every month for some reason or another) because of all the holiday festivities. And of course, we find ways to incorporate costumes!

This Saturday, Dec. 14, is the fourth annual SantaCon, and we’re excited to participate again. SantaCon is a “conference of Santas,” or better known as a pub crawl of Santas.

Anyone (of legal age, of course) is welcome to participate in this event! All that’s required is a Santa suit or other holiday attire. A Santa hat is not enough, you need to put a little more effort into it!

The Santas are invited to gather at the Sandbar starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday (or earlier, if you like– we open at 1) for a little holiday cheer. The pub crawl will then head down Mass Street to the Granada around 4, followed by a stop at Red Lyon and ending at the Bottleneck in time for the KU basketball game at 6 p.m.

SantaCon is a ton of fun, but it’s also a charitable event. Santas are asked to bring donations for Ballard Community Services and Lawrence Humane Society. Cash, of course, is preferred but there’s also a list of most-wanted items for each agency on the SantaCon website.

And if you have kids, bring them downtown to see the Santas! We promise, it’s not a drunken mess like you might imagine a pub crawl to be. It’s a jolly good time with Christmas carols and bells and lots of holiday cheer. We just happen to enjoy a few drinks along the way!

If you’re like some of us– and I’m talking about some of us who have been around the Sandbar longer than, say, some of our more recently-hired staff members– you have fond memories of drive-in movie theaters from when you were a kid.

Did you know that they’re in danger of disappearing? Since the film industry has gone digital, many theaters can’t afford the $80,000 price tag that the digital upgrade costs.

Honda, the car company, has stepped in to help– they’re going to donate five projectors and the public vote decides which drive in gets them.

Our local Jack Ellena Honda dealership is hosting an event next Friday, Sept. 13, that celebrates this event with fun for the whole family: a pop-up drive-in movie theater.

They’ll host a free screening of “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” at 7 p.m. out at their dealership.

What does this have to do with us, and why are we talking about it? Well, we like movies…after all, our founder Peach does own a movie theater down the road in Ottawa.

And, Sandbar Subs is stepping up to help save the drive-ins. They’ll be serving Sandbar Subs beach dogs, chips and cookies at the event. Dogs and cookies are $2; chips are $1. Proceeds will benefit the cause!

If you’d like to help save the Midway Drive-in in Osawatomie, you can text VOTE86 to 444999, click here to make a donation or show up at next Friday’s event.

Help us spread the word, will you? Drive-in theaters are an iconic part of our history and an experience that everyone should get to enjoy as they grow up.